Katt Whittenberger dedicated more than 21 years to serving her country as a Navy Mass Communication Specialist and Command Senior Chief, leading service members around the world. Her career included multiple deployments at sea and boots-on-the-ground service alongside joint forces, giving her a deep understanding of the military community she continues to serve today. After retirement, she recognized how often rural veterans are forgotten—isolated from essential resources and support. Refusing to accept that gap, she founded Mountain Valor, a nonprofit organization connecting veterans and their families across rural Virginia with benefits, education, and care. Through her leadership, Mountain Valor has reached more than a thousand veterans and caregivers, building trust where systems too often fall short. Katt’s commitment to service did not end when she hung up the uniform—it evolved.